1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a center console, particularly to a center console which permits a walk-through by folding and storing it when not in use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, considering comfort and convenience in a vehicle, a walk-through to a rear seat is realized by configuring a center console which is attached between a driver seat and a passenger seat to be detachable or foldable.
For example, a folding center console which is held to be parallel to a horizontal surface in use and is rotated to be perpendicular to the horizontal surface to be stored when not in use has been known (For example, refer to JP-Tokukai-hei-7-315097A).
When providing a storing part for storing small articles in the folding center console, a cover (closing cover) for openably/closably covering an upper opening of the storing part needs to be provided to prevent the small articles from dropping from the storing part when the center console is folded.
FIGS. 8 to 10 show structures of a pair of right and left rail members 101 for supporting the closing cover 100 to be movable in back and forth direction (only the rail member 101 on the right side is shown in the drawings), and a frame body 102 for supporting the rail member 101.
FIG. 8 shows a structure in which a portion of the rail member 101 having a U shape in section is engaged at an engaging piece 103 with the frame body 102, and a screw 105 is inserted through a through hole 104 in the rear surface of the rail member 101 to be screwed in a bracket 107 provided at the frame body 102 through a through hole 106 in the upper surface of the rail member 101, so that the rail member 101 is fixed to the frame body 102.
FIG. 9 shows a structure in which a portion of the rail member 101 having a U shape in section is engaged with an engaging piece 108 provided at the frame body 102, the rear surface of the rail member 101 extends in a horizontal direction, and a screw 111 is screwed in a bracket 110 provided at the frame body 102 through a through hole 109 provided in the extending portion of the rail member 101.
FIG. 10 shows a structure in which the upper portion of the rail member 101 having a U shape in section is fixed to the inner surface of the frame body 102, and a screw 114 is screwed in the frame body 102 through a through hole 113 in a portion 112 extending downward from the rail member 101.
The structures shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 would raise a problem such as increasing the number of components of a center console or increasing manufacturing process, because a screw is used to fix the frame bodies to the rail members.
Also, the structures shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 would raise a problem to make the size in up and down direction and right and left direction large, respectively.